What is the Difference Between DIRECTV STREAM’s Four Main Subscription Tiers?
All too often in life, it seems like the only choices we have are bad. It’s always a decision between the lesser of two or more evils, and more often than not, life doesn’t present us with the information we need to make an informed decision either way.
This isn’t the case with DIRECTV STREAM, however. The live TV streaming service is all about empowering customers to make the best choice based on their individual budgets and entertainment desires. To that end, DIRECTV STREAM offers four distinct pricing plans, each with its own specific advantages to suit the needs of a particular subset of customers.
What Are DIRECTV STREAM’s Four Main Packages?
The base DIRECTV STREAM package is the ENTERTAINMENT tier. It comes with 34 of The Streamable’s top 35 cable networks and offers a good balance of sports, news, and entertainment in its lineup of 75+ total channels. You’ll find selections like AMC, Comedy Central, Food Network, and USA Network on the service, as well as local channels, and national sports networks like ESPN and FS1. The DIRECTV STREAM ENTERTAINMENT package starts at $74.99 per month plus taxes.
The CHOICE™ package is the next step up, coming in at $99.99 per month plus applicable taxes. The CHOICE™ package is especially relevant to sports fans, as it carries channels like NFL Network, Golf Channel, MLB Network, NBA TV, and Tennis Channel among its 105+ choices. DIRECTV STREAM CHOICE™ users also get access to their local regional sports network, as the service carries RSNs from Bally Sports, Spectrum Sports, and AT&T SportsNet in markets where those channels are available. College sports also call the DIRECTV STREAM CHOICE™ package home, as the service carries ACC Network, Big Ten Network, SEC Network, and ESPNU.
For $10 more, the ULTIMATE package ($109.99 per month plus tax) brings in even more sports channels, throwing FS2, NHL Network, and CBS Sports Network into the mix on top of all the sports networks available in the CHOICE™ package. The ULTIMATE tier offers at least 140 channels, including all of the selections mentioned in the ENTERTAINMENT and CHOICE™ options. It’s an aptly-named package, as the Ultimate tier provides the ultimate lineup of news, entertainment, and sports channels for the whole family.
If prestige TV and blockbuster movies are your passion, however, you’ll want to step up to the PREMIER package. The DIRECTV STREAM PREMIER tier comes with at least 150 channels and offers all of the sports and news that every other DIRECTV STREAM package has. This option also includes premium streaming platforms Max, SHOWTIME, and STARZ, as well as Cinemax, so users will have access to hit series like “The Righteous Gemstones,” “Outlander,” “Yellowjackets” and a wide array of popular movies such as “Top Gun: Maverick” and 2023’s Academy Award for Best Picture winner “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”
Which Top Cable News and Entertainment Channels Are Available in DIRECTV STREAM’s Packages?
| “Entertain.” | “Choice” | “Ultimate” | “Premier” | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | ||
| $79.99 | $108.99 | $119.99 | $164.99 | ||
| A&E | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| AMC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| BET | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Bravo | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Cartoon Network | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| CNN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Comedy Central | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Discovery | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Disney Channel | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Disney Junior | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| E! | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ESPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Food Network | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Fox News | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Freeform | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| FX | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| FXX | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Hallmark Channel | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| HGTV | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| History | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Investigation Discovery | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Lifetime | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| MSNBC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| MTV | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Nickelodeon | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Paramount Network | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Syfy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| TBS | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| TLC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| TNT | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Travel Channel | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| truTV | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| USA Network | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| VH1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| WE tv | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Which Top National Sports Networks Are Available on DIRECTV STREAM’s Packages?
| “Entertain.” | “Choice” | “Ultimate” | “Premier” | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | ||
| $79.99 | $108.99 | $119.99 | $164.99 | ||
| CBS Sports Network | + $15 | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ESPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ESPN2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| FS1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Golf Channel | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| MLB Network | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| NBA TV | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| NFL Network | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| NHL Network | + $15 | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Tennis Channel | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Which Top Regional Sports Networks Are Available on DIRECTV STREAM’s Packages?
- Availability of RSNs varies by zip code and package
Which Top College Sports Networks Are Available on DIRECTV STREAM’s Packages?
| “Entertain.” | “Choice” | “Ultimate” | “Premier” | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | ||
| $79.99 | $108.99 | $119.99 | $164.99 | ||
| ACC Network | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ACC Network Extra | - | - | - | - | |
| Big Ten Network | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| CBS Sports Network | + $15 | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ESPNU | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Longhorn Network | + $15 | + $15 | + $15 | + $15 | |
| Pac-12 Network | - | - | - | - | |
| SEC Network | + $15 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| truTV | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM is a live TV streaming service, which is essentially the streaming version of the DIRECTV service. All packages include local channels and at least 31 of the top 35 cable channels. New subscribers can get a free Gemini streaming device from the company, in which case the service is called “DIRECTV via Internet.”
*Taxes may apply